I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
‘Right.’
I hadn’t come just for this.
Before I forget again, I urgently brought up the matter.
“And Your Majesty the Good Empress. How is your health?”
“It’s improved.”
The Empress replied vaguely.
“And the necks of the traitors are already well hung on the gallows.”
the Empress smirked slightly.
“I thought you might be curious.”
A grim story emerged. Probably those doctors who wrongly thought there was poison.
I silently wished the doctors well.
In the next life, don’t even think about getting close to the royal palace. There’s nowhere else to go but here if your neck is on the line with one mistake.
After a brief moment of silence for about 10 seconds, I immediately got to the point.
“Your Majesty the Empress. I apologize, but may I check your physical condition?”
“Go ahead.”
The Empress narrowed her eyes. I must look strange after all.
But what can I do? Please accept it.
Past me is still me, and present me is still me.
I’m always Lottie.
I reached out and grabbed the Empress’ wrist.
“Do you have any chronic illnesses?”
The Empress shook her head.
“I had a major injury in the past.”
“Can you tell?”
“Yeah, right. I had a major injury before. I was poisoned by an assassin.”
She said it calmly now, but it must have been quite dangerous at the time.
Because of the poison she took then, she still hasn’t fully recovered her strength.
‘It’s a miracle that she survived.’
That’s why she collapsed from seemingly strange food combinations.
I sighed inwardly.
“Do you happen to know Mandragora?”
“It’s an ingredient of sorcerers.”
The Empress replied promptly. I nodded as well.
“Well-dug Mandragora can also be used as medicine. Boil the Mandragora root thoroughly and drink it. It will help you regain lost energy.”
From leaves to stems, and roots, everything should be put in.
When I told someone this method, they boiled it bit by bit and it just became plain water.
They wasted expensive Mandragora.
It was regrettable even now.
“Mandragora from the Rêvo region on the southern continent will be effective.”
Since it’s already considered strange.
Let’s add a few more pieces of information, and the Empress’ eyes gradually filled with curiosity.
“And could I get some Mandragora too?”
I should get some too.
The Empress laughed heartily again at my words and nodded.
“Yeah, if I get Mandragora from the Rêvo region, I’ll share it with you.”
“Thank you.”
“But it’s amazing. How do you know all this?”
“I’ve read a lot of books. A lot.”
Read books, everyone, read books.
* * *
Eek!
In the night, a scream echoed through the empty kitchen.
Ahhhhhh!
The scream, which could have killed someone, fell on deaf ears.
Because the only person in this palace right now is me!
‘Glad the excuse worked out well.’
I had sent a task with a message saying there was something to receive from Arkin.
Go there, sleep soundly for a day in that soft place, and come back with some delicious food, Betty!
With careful hands, I swiftly pulled out the third Mandragora.
Ah!
Huh?
That tasted odd when I pulled it out just now…?
I looked at the Mandragora I just pulled out.
Ah…”
But the Mandragora pulled from the pot was already lifeless.
What’s going on?
I shook my head and carefully brushed off the soil attached to the Mandragora with delicate hands.
‘Alright!’
Three wobbly Mandragora roots lay side by side.
“Um, very good!”
Taking out my earplugs, I smirked.
Indeed, the Good Empress of the Empire.
Just a few days after mentioning Mandragora from the Rêvo region, I acquired Mandragora.
Mandragora.
A plant with a human-like shape.
It was a useful plant used for medicine, poison, and even aphrodisiacs, but also a very dangerous one.
Mandragora emits a sharp scream when pulled.
Anyone who hears the scream inevitably loses their life.
There were even those who ran away on their own when approached to be pulled.
Since it was difficult to find and difficult to harvest, even a shriveled Mandragora was worth a small house.
Such an expensive Mandragora was laid out in front of me, not to mention!
It was even potted to maintain freshness.
‘How did they transplant Mandragora into a pot?’
I chuckled as I sliced the Mandragora with a knife.
Tang!
With one slice, the leaves and head were cut off.
Mandragora was very dangerous when pulled, but once pulled, there was no problem with it dying right away.
How did they manage to transplant such Mandragora while it was still alive?
‘I don’t know what happened, but it must have cost a lot of money and involved many people.’
Quickly convinced, I focused on handling the Mandragora.
I set aside the leaves separately, divided the body into three parts, and carefully separated the fine roots.
“Let’s try with just two roots.”
After placing them carefully on the white cloth prepared in advance.
“Add a little moonflower.”
A bit of Menrilie fruit, a bit of herb, and then.
After stewing it well in the pot, Mandragora juice was complete!
Since I can’t handle bitterness well, I need to add honey. Just a little bit is fine. Just a little.
Now, as the foam slowly rose in the pot, I quickly added honey and firmly closed the lid.
By the way, honey was one of the ingredients stolen from Arkin’s palace.
“Alright, now I need to dry the remaining root and chew on it.”
Under the sun and moonlight, after drying for a month, the Mandragora potion is completed, which can be taken out and consumed in times of need. It’s said that it’s really beneficial to eat one when feeling drained of energy.
‘If only there was more honey, it would have been even better as a potion.’
But there was not enough honey brought to make it a proper potion. When I have money, I’ll make and eat Mandragora potion.
‘Should I make stimulants after? It would be convenient to have it ready in advance…’
What am I thinking about!!
Smack!!
I smacked my forehead hard with the ladle I was holding.
A stimulant is a drink that refreshes the mind when tired. I used to have it in my mouth every minute, every hour, every day while attached to the Cranis Tower, calling it nectar. It felt more like a transfusion than drinking. After all, it was my blood, practically my life.
‘But I won’t be working anymore, why bother making it?’
I pressed my lips tightly while stroking my forehead.
I won’t be getting out of bed anymore, you know?
But why would I need stimulants?
Absolutely not, I won’t make it.
Absolutely won’t make it!!
* * *
“Lady Lottie, I brought what you asked for.”
I placed the letter Arkin sent me on the table after reading it. Several sheets of newspaper were placed on top of the letter.
“Please enjoy.”
In the small cup offered by Betty, there was a brown liquid that looked thin even at a glance. It was the Mandragora concentrate I made myself.
‘Uh.’
I closed my eyes tightly and swallowed all of the liquid.
“Ugh!”
…I almost threw up.
There was definitely honey in it. I’m sure I put honey in it!
Where did the honey go?
But I couldn’t spit it out. It’s just one thing.
I chewed the Mandragora root attached to the bottom of the cup thoroughly.
Betty quickly handed me a glass.
“Here, have some water.”
“Thanks…”
“Does that strange potion really have an effect?”
Betty asked with a skeptical look as she cleared the cup.
“Well.”
I replied promptly.
It did have an effect. It overflowed, in fact.
How do I know?
‘Yesterday, I finally walked for more than 10 minutes!’
Just a while ago, until I went to Arkin’s palace, I would get tired after just 5 minutes of walking.
But now, even after walking for 10 minutes, I only felt a little out of breath.
‘What a big improvement!’
I’ve only been taking the Mandragora concentrate for a few days, and the effects are showing up so quickly.
Next time, maybe I can walk for 15 minutes?
My heart raced.
‘I feel bad for having it all by myself.’
Honestly, if there was a little more, I wanted to share it with Betty.
Betty would probably refuse to eat it even if she died.
‘Now, I should start looking for other miraculous medicines.’
The most effective thing to take with Mandragora was Starlight Flower, but Starlight Flowers had been hiding for a long time.
‘I have seeds at my tower, but I can’t go there.’
So I should get something nearby, right?
“Um, Lady Lottie.”
“Yeah?”
When I turned my head, Betty hesitated before speaking.
“Well, it’s just that, we’re running out of the ingredients that Prince Arkin gave us.”
“Already?”
“Yes, Prince Arkin said to take whatever we need, but now I regret it.”
Sighing, Betty continued.
Arkin said to take whatever we needed, but we couldn’t do that. The mana stone in the food warehouse broke down.
‘The mana stone was supposed to regulate the temperature, but it broke down, so instead it was heating the food warehouse.’
How hot was the floor of the food warehouse? I almost sat down and fell asleep.
Because we couldn’t store food there, Betty and I could only bring enough preserved food and a week’s worth of supplies.
‘Arkin said he’ll keep giving, but we can’t depend on him forever.’
I wanted to renovate the palace, and repair the old parts, and above all, I needed someone else to help so that Betty could have a rest too.
Hm, I clenched and unclenched my hand.
My hand, which had been trembling from the side effects, stopped trembling.
Alright, should I start slowly?
“Betty, have you done what I asked?”
“Um… Oh! Yes, I did as you instructed.”
Betty nodded.
“But will that really help?”
“Well…”
I smirked at Betty.
“It will be a great help.”
Preparations should be done by now.
Shall we go get the piggy bank?